Friday's letters

Friday

Aug 23, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Repeat offender 'profile'

Regarding the Thursday article "Stop is called profiling": While the public defender certainly has a duty to be concerned about potential incidents of racial profiling by law enforcement he must also ask, "How does one get arrested 50 times and still be a able to walk the streets?" Does that contribute to the type and number of potential racial profiling incidents, and how does it help make the public safer?

Repeat offenders with "no time served" sentences might help keep incarceration numbers down and provide a talking point on how well the justice system is doing, but the way crimes are addressed is a problem. Many crimes are considered "victimless," or there is the attitude that "rehab won't help." Hence, the easy way out is to let the offenders back onto the streets.

Apparently the public defender has not considered changes to the sentencing guidelines that allow for rehab in lieu of incarceration (when appropriate), or guidelines for stiffer penalties for repeat offenders, or offenders who commit crimes near schools, churches, day care or other similar establishments. We hear of individuals arrested 50 to 98 times and have to ask how and why does that happen.

Hugo Mazzoli

Sarasota

Childish about homeless

Regarding the article "City leaders appear split": One would think that homelessness expert Robert Marbut's hiring should be enough reason to set aside money.

Some Sarasota city commissioners' adopting a wait-and-see attitude sends a message to citizens that they want to run the show, and their way. This mindset is counterproductive and childish.

We have an excellent consultant. Stop being childish and shortsighted and put up the money. No more lip service; let's get this done!

Sue Kaiser

Sarasota

Let ACT gauge students

At the top of Page 1 on Thursday, the Herald-Tribune has a story about conflicts with the "Common Core" plan to improve student performance. On Page 2 of the same issue, you have a story about the dismal results of ACT examinations among America's youth. It might have made much more interesting had the two stories been placed side by side (and the ACT story expanded with easily researched results about similar SAT results).

It seems logical to me to ditch end-game testing in Common Core, No Child Left Behind, et al., and simply use the established pre-college (post-secondary?) testing mechanisms already used by colleges nationwide as less controversial and more reliable measures of student accomplishment and potential and, indirectly, teacher/school effectiveness.

To be sure, not everyone who attends our high schools go on to college, nor should they. But as a simple measure of success of our educational system, why not use what already exists, has considerable history and apparently works?

Some will respond with the accusation that some schools/teachers would still "teach the test." Indeed, many students sign up for SAT/ACT preparation classes outside schools for the express purpose of improving their results, but ACT results are dismal. That would seem to indicate that "teaching the test" is a suspect excuse at best.

Stephen Huth

Sarasota

Improve cancer care

An estimated 118,320 people will hear the words "you have cancer" this year in Florida. Unfortunately, too many of those patients will suffer needlessly from pain, nausea and other symptoms of their treatment as their doctors concentrate on treating their disease. Cancer patients deserve access to team-based care that treats the whole patient, not just their cancer.

I urge Congress and Florida lawmakers to support legislation that would improve the quality of life of patients undergoing care for serious illnesses such as cancer by expanding access to palliative care. Palliative care is a growing, specialized field that focuses on relieving pain, stress and other often debilitating symptoms of a serious illness. Palliative care specialists work with a team of doctors, nurses and other specialists to provide patients an extra layer of support. This type of care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness, and can facilitate better and more effective treatment.

As a cancer survivor, advocate and former caregiver, I ask Rep. Vern Buchanan and all local members of the Florida House and Senate to co-sponsor legislation that protects cancer patients' quality of life though educating patients about palliative care, improved training for health care providers and more comprehensive research on the benefits of palliative care.

Through this commitment, Florida can be a leader in supporting a health care model that treats the person beyond the disease.

Nancy Ambrose, Volunteer

American Cancer Society

Cancer Action Network

Holmes Beach

Blocking out the sun

Thursday's "Solar Tsunami" story reveals why the Sunshine State is wasting a natural, local power source: our state government. A point missed in the article is how our laws support jobs and revenue in other states at our expense.

Florida does not have coal, natural gas or uranium. We must buy this from other states to power ours. This is a significant amount of money that would be used to create jobs, invest in local businesses, and pay taxes. The people we elect and pay to support, protect, and improve our state are doing the exact opposite: deliberately.

It is no secret how other states successfully promote solar. A few changes to our laws would make Florida a solar leader. Affordable solar power should not need a legal work-around. All of the politicians in Tallahassee, especially Rick Scott, need to explain why they are taking jobs from Floridians. If they don't, we need to send them packing to the states they are really working for.

David Ingram

Nokomis

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.